The SCv Moloch was the only line of Shivan corvettes ever encountered during the Second Shivan Incursion. The Moloch is known for being the only corvette-type vessel to have a fighterbay. This feature brings with it a possible set of tactical advantages for the Moloch, as it is capable of deploying fighters and bombers to defend or attack enemies should reinforcements be unavailable, or otherwise deploy its fighterbay complement to assist other friendly vessels. However, the Moloch is deficient in terms of its own attacking power, with only three light beam cannons to combat other warships. Its anti-fighter and bomber armaments leave much to be desired, as the Moloch lacks any anti-fighter beams, instead mounting several fighter suppression missile turrets and flak cannons to compensate.

Contents

Description:

FS2 Demo Tech Room Description

This big Shivan Mama is loaded with turrety goodness. Moloch is the name of another larger form of Aeshma, a many armed, many weaponed Indian goddess.

FS2 Tech Room Description

Only one class of Shivan ship is classified as a corvette - the SCv Moloch class. Though they're physically as large as the GTCv Deimos class, Molochs do not seem to pack the same punch. They are far more deadly than any Shivan cruisers, however.

Developer Notes

None

Name origin

In Hebrew, Moloch is most commonly associated with sacrifice.

Moloch is a form of the ancient Carthagian god Baal, named moloch-baal. This god was depicted as a winged taurus with a fire-breathing mouth in which men were thrown in to be sacrificed. The Bible then demonized moloch baal: Possibly the golden taurus the Hebrews were worshiping when Moses came down from the Sinai Mount was referred to this deity.

Veteran Comments

The Moloch is an opponent to be taken seriously, despite all the negative commentary, and the statement a Deimos can take one on successfully is somewhat debatable. Shivans use much more effective (and faster-cycling) direct-fire beams, of which the Moloch has three SRed-types. Like most Shivan capital craft, its anti-fighter defenses are rather less impressive than those of a comparable Terran ship. Despite this the Moloch's defenses are nonetheless probably the best, pound for pound, of any Shivan capital craft. It mounts a considerable number of flak guns, and they are well-positioned. The broadside flaks are placed in such a way as to make them difficult to target at range, but still provide good coverage to the sides of the ship. Eliminating them requires getting in dangerously close. The aft flak is more vulnerable, but is also a heavy mount and still capable of inflicting significant damage. The Moloch is a dangerous opponent to an unwary fightercraft. Fortunately, there are no anti-fighter beams.

The fighterbay is never used in the FreeSpace 2 campaign. The Moloch has by far the worst firepower and anti-fighter defenses of any corvette, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a niche. The Moloch is a cruiser hunter, easily capable of destroying one of the best cruisers in the game, the Aeolus, which the Moloch survives without suffering any real damage. However, when faced with a cruiser and a wing of heavy assault fighters, as in the demo mission Crisis in Capella, the Moloch is in deep trouble, provided the fighters can destroy its main beam turrets quickly enough (they can). Under few circumstances will a Moloch prevail over a GTCv Deimos, unless the Moloch launches bombers, the Deimos's many flak guns and AAA turrets add to its total firepower, and although the SReds are definitely more accurate, the TerSlash does 2.2 times the maximum sustained damage, and the Deimos has four, as opposed to the Moloch's three. (It should be noted, however, that the absolute number either ship can bring to bear of its totals is only two. If that.) However, if the Moloch is a good distance away, its accurate SReds will be more effective than the TerSlash beams of the Deimos. Still, in a poll, it was found few people actually consider the Moloch superior to the Deimos.

The Moloch has a blind spot if you position yourself directly in front of it with a slight elevation. Here, the only weapon that can hit you is a single blob turret which is easily taken out, leaving you safe to lob off bombs with no fear of flak.

Don't be fooled by the large 'eye' in the front- it's just a blob turret, though it should be an anti-cap beam. If you've ever flown against one of these, you know the first thing to do is take out the Piranha turrets, otherwise you'll be ripped apart. They explode at the same time as another is launched, so watch out. The best way to take one of these out is to use Trebuchets to destroy all the missile turrets, then send in a wing of bombers while you deal with the fighters. Be warned, the underside has some serious anti-fighter power, so you'll quickly be battered by several blobs, swarming heat-seekers, and at least one flak.

The Moloch's turret strength is very weak, making this ship easy to disarm.